Your Microwave Isn't Totally Clean If You Forget This Essential Step

Your microwave may be on your list of things to clean in your kitchen, but you're forgetting a very important step if you neglect to clean one crucial component. Of course, every part of the microwave's interior needs to be disinfected regularly. Though the food heated in it can reach a very high temperature, E.coli and Salmonella can survive on the walls and surfaces of the appliance simply because it doesn't get hot enough to kill them. This is why cleaning easily forgotten components like the turntable is vital.

The splattered food particles on the walls and ceiling of the microwave are often what first catches the eye when cleaning it since food splatters to the sides and top while cooking. As a result, the turntable can easily be forgotten in the process, especially if it looks unsoiled. However, it can harbor pathogens and also needs to be thoroughly decontaminated. Thankfully, achieving a deep clean isn't hard to do.

The microwave turntable is the one component that every dish touches. While food may not go directly on the turntable, raw juices can bubble over. This can be especially true when you use your microwave to defrost meat. Then, when you take out a plate with your hands, you can inadvertently transfer bacteria all around your kitchen.

Let's also not forget when you might throw a piece of bread or a sandwich on a paper towel right on top of the turntable. That is another opportunity for cross-contamination. It's no wonder why cleaning the turntable is so essential.

To clean this, remove it and scrub vigorously with a soapy sponge as you would any dish. You can also add 1 cup of water to a microwave-safe small bowl and either put some lemon slices in it or a few teaspoons of white vinegar. Set your microwave on high until the water in the bowl boils, and allow it to steam the inside of the microwave. Let it work its magic for a few minutes, and then wipe the side, including the entire turntable, with a microfiber cloth or a clean sponge. Using steam is one of the easiest ways to clean a microwave.

You wouldn't use and reuse a dish day after day without washing it. If you look at your microwave turntable as you would a dish, you'll see why it needs to be cleaned so often. An easy tip to keep it clean is to add it to your regular dishwasher load and let it undergo a thorough cleaning whenever your dishwasher is full.

However, if you need to use it for several different things and aren't doing a load, remember to at least wipe it down with soap and water after each use. Even if you haven't used raw meat or anything that might be loaded with bacteria, any food spillage has the potential to grow bacteria.

Quickly cleaning the turntable after spills and drips will make your microwave safer to use and make clean-up less difficult. After all, a new spill is relatively easy to take care of, unlike one that's been allowed to sit for days or has been reheated repeatedly. If you find caked-on spills, spray the turntable with white vinegar and let it soak to loosen food particles. Then, you can create a cleaning routine that makes such messes a thing of the past.